A homeless shelter could be heading to Billionaires’ Row.
The de Blasio administration is planning to open a shelter for 150 residents at 158 West 58th Street — the Park Savoy Hotel — in March, according to the New York Post. The Park Savoy stands back-to-back with One57, one of the glitziest apartment buildings in the city.
The shelter is part of the city’s plan to create 90 new shelters across the five boroughs, and the plans for the West 58th Street location came to light last week in letters to local politicians.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his “Turning the Tide on Homelessness” program last year and said neighbors would get a minimum of 30 days’ notice before a new shelter opened. He also said officials would take reasonable concerns and input from the community into account.
Westhab, which runs shelters and affordable housing in the Bronx and Westchester, would run the shelter on Billionaires’ Row, and security would include 56 surveillance cameras and at least two guards.
But Rich Montilla, security director at One57, told the Post he was still nervous about the shelter.
“I don’t know if these gentlemen are violent,” he said. “I don’t know what to expect.”
The Park Savoy’s owner, New Hampton LLC, bought the building for $3.9 million in 2004. [NYP] – Eddie Small